Should criminologists be feeling lucky!? Applying Google Maps and Google Street View in environmental criminological research

• In Event: The Innovative use of Technology in Understanding Crime

Abstract

Online mapping applications such as Google Maps and Google Street View have become increasingly available. These technologies have many convenient uses in our daily lives but simultaneously evoke concern from law enforcement agencies that they could be exploited by offenders and could alter existing offending patterns and habits. However, for criminologists they also open up several new perspectives to conduct research. Drawing on results from earlier studies in related fields and personal research experience with the application of these technologies in environmental criminological research, three potential uses of Google Maps and Google Street View in criminological research are explored and discussed. In particular, this presentation discusses how online mapping applications generate new research questions, how they allow to revisit and re-assess established theories in criminology and common practices in criminological research, and how they should be considered an essential part of the methodological toolkit of criminologists.

Authors

• Tom Vander Beken, Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy, Ghent University

• Christophe Vandeviver, Ghent University